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Marshall, given a $48 million contract ($24 million guaranteed) this offseason to be the centerpiece of the Dolphins’ offense, has become a secondary option in recent weeks. For four straight games, he has been held to fewer than six catches and 65 yards. He has found the end zone just once this year, in Week 3, and the Dolphins’ 19.1 points per game rank 25th in the NFL. The 5-4 Dolphins also currently sit tied for seventh with three other teams in the AFC East playoff race.

Marshall’s frustrations came to the forefront this past Sunday against the Titans, when he fired a football into the stands after making one of his three catches, drawing a 5-yard penalty for delay of game.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said he visited with Marshall about the blow-up, but excused it simply as getting “caught up in the game.” Marshall slipped out of the locker room Sunday without speaking with reporters, and declined to talk about it Tuesday, saying “I am past that game. Sorry.”

Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan claimed that he was the source of Marshall’s frustration. Finnegan said after the game that the Dolphins’ offense was so predictable, he could call out Marshall’s routes at the line of scrimmage before the play. He held Marshall to a season-low three catches for 34 yards.

“We would laugh sometimes because I would be calling his routes out based on the formations and the splits,” Finnegan told Yahoo Sports. “I watched every single game Miami has played this year and the formation doesn’t lie unless they’re trying to trick you. The formations didn’t lie, and he didn’t like that.”

Wednesday, Marshall denied that Finnegan called out the Dolphins’ plays during the game.

“I don’t know where he got that from,” Marshall said. “I am sure he had a few tips on some tendencies, but that is everyone in the NFL.”

“We did a good job of winning and moving the ball up and down the field, so them knowing our stuff didn’t matter.”

Marshall was also shown barking at Henne and his fellow offensive teammates on the TV broadcast of the Titans game, but receiver Brian Hartline said that is simply the cost of doing business with Marshall and his supreme talents.

“He’s a passionate guy, but I’d rather have him too passionate than not passionate enough,” Hartline said.

Marshall’s demeanor on the field is no different now than it was for four years in Denver, said his former quarterback Jay Cutler, who will face Marshall on Thursday as a member of the Bears.

“We gave him a lot of leeway, because of how competitive he was and how good he is,” Cutler said.

Brandon Marshall hasn't had much room to run this season, and his teammates understand his frustration / Allen Eyestone, Post staff

Marshall isn’t exactly having a bad year. He is fifth in the NFL in catches (55), 10th in yards (652) and his 11.9 yards per catch is 0.8 higher than last year. He’s also on pace for 97 catches and 1,152 yards.

But Marshall is a guy who had 307 catches, 3,710 yards and 23 touchdowns in the three years prior to coming to Miami. He’s used to getting the ball 10-15 times a game and being the top target in the Red Zone. He’s certainly used to catching more than one touchdown in nine games.

Instead, he and Chad Henne simply haven’t clicked. According to the site ProFootballFocus.com Marshall is averaging a career low in yards after catch per reception – 2.8, 85th among NFL receivers. Last year, he averaged 5.0, 19th-best. He’s also tied for third among all receivers with six dropped passes, and 46th in percentage of passes caught (64 percent of balls thrown his way).

“Brandon only having one touchdown concerns me, but Brandon only having one touchdown if we’re scoring touchdowns doesn’t really concern me,” Sparano said. “In other words, if we’re scoring and we’re winning games I think everybody’s happy. At the same time, Brandon’s been open several times and one way or the other we just haven’t connected. There’s been opportunities there, and I have confidence that we’ll make those plays here. Sometimes those things come in bushels, and hopefully we’re getting close to one of those.”

Marshall is confident that his opportunities are coming. They may come in bunches Thursday against the Bears, when the starting quarterback will be Tyler Thigpen, filling in for an injured Henne. Thigpen entered Sunday’s game against the Titans and threw his first two passes Marshall’s way, completing one for 16 yards.

“We are in that part of the season where we are all trying to make plays, and it hasn’t happened down there (in the Red Zone) for me yet,” Marshall said. “Any moment I can have a big game. I am not worried about it right now. Just trying to continue to push.”

Meanwhile, Marshall is opening up the field for teammates Davone Bess, Anthony Fasano and Hartline. Bess has been the second-most productive receiver in the game, according to ProFootballFocus, Fasano had his first 100-yard game last week and is on a pace for career-highs in receptions and yards, and Hartline has 183 yards the past two weeks.

“I told you guys a long time ago that the addition of Brandon would help Fasano … help Hartline,” Sparano said. “We all knew that with Brandon over there, with the amount of attention paid to him and the way some of the rotation might go to him, that Brian would be a guy that could get fat off of some of that.”

A source close to Marshall has maintained all season that Marshall, now with his big pay day behind him, cares much more about winning a championship ring than about his stats. Hartline reiterated that point this week.

“He doesn’t care who makes the plays and how it’s done,” Hartline said. “He really wants what’s best for the team. As long as we keep winning, everyone’s happy.”